Dialogue tags are incredibly important parts of the writing process, but the writing community seems to be split between whether they should use the word ‘said’ or a different kind of tag like laughed or whispered. Here’s my take on the said conundrum.
Please note this is my opinion as an individual with over 10+ years in the writing world. I’ve done extensive research on subjects such as this, and have learned the fiction writing process from bestselling authors. Regardless I do not know everything, and if you find my opinion clashes with your own that is okay, we’re people, we don’t need to agree to respect each other.
Using ‘Said’
He said or she said, the word said itself is a dialogue tag that is used quite frequently throughout almost every single fiction novel in existence but is it time to give it a break? Hah, no. No, it is not. Said when used as a dialogue tag is ignored by the reader. Let me say that again.
Said when used as a dialogue tag is ignored by the reader.
But Tiff shouldn’t I just not use it then?
No.
Said is an informational word. When the reader sees the word ‘said’ they don’t see S.A.I.D. they see the information it portrays, instead of just seeing the word, they get the understanding of who just spoke. This is invaluable when you’re writing a fiction novel, dialogue should drive a large portion of your book, when it doesn’t your book falls flat, and said helps clarify who is speaking when, and to who.
That doesn’t mean said should be used after everyone speaks, if you do that the reader will actually start seeing said as the word it is and get annoyed. Switching up dialogue tags is a surefire way to keep your reader engaged.
Using Alternative Tags
Whispered, yelled, cried, giggled, take all those descriptor words, pick like three of them, and flush the others down the toilet. Said is your word, every other word, like the ones listed above, can be conveyed with emotion. You don’t have two robots looking at each other reciting lines. Is your character mad? Make them act mad, slam a table, have they grit their teeth or ball up their fist before they speak, you won’t have to tell your reader how they’re speaking, the tone is conveyed by the emotion.
This isn’t a steadfast rule, you shouldn’t just eradicate all the descriptor words from your book, but use them as sparingly as possible. Check each one, and ask yourself if you can better convey what’s happening with emotion. If you can, use said and write in that emotion.
Using Movment
Emotion and movement go hand in hand, but movement can be used on its own. Instead of tagging with said, use movement, get them to gesture toward something, dodge an attack, or move across a room. Use this in between said’s and you’ll see quite an increase in your writing.
Other Tips
If you’re writing with more than two characters in a scene, use said as often as you like, if you only have two characters you have three lines of dialogue you can just leave untagged completely before the reader starts to get confused.
In Conclusion
Said is nowhere near dead, and emotion-based stages should be used at a minimum. dialogue tags are a delicate thing, play around with these tips to see what is best for the scene you’re writing right now. What do you think about dialogue tags? Leave a comment below to let me know!